Rams get great news on Aaron Donald's Week 1 status amid travel plans

The Los Angeles Rams are set to play the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season overseas in Australia.

It's quite the trip, and while the San Francisco 49ers are already in Australia, the Rams' travel plans involve heading out much closer to the game. For the Rams, this gives them a bit more time to figure out what Aaron Donald's status will be.

It wouldn't be a shocker if he didn't play Week 1. However, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, following up on a report from Sarah Bishop of ESPN, Donald is expected to travel with the team for Week 1.

Aaron Donald expected to travel with rest of Rams roster to Australia for Week 1 game

Bishop reported that "Sean McVay said he expects every player to go to Melbourne for the game." Rapoport followed up, specifying, "That includes Aaron Donald, who is still TBD on playing."

While there is still some question about whether Donald will actually suit up in Week 1, this is a good sign that he has a chance to play in the first game of the Rams' season.

He wouldn't be traveling overseas if there wasn't at least a chance he'd suit up. It might've made sense to keep him back home in Los Angeles as the Rams wait for him to be fully good to go after coming out of retirement for the last two years.

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With this reporting from Bishop and Rapoport, it's clear that McVay expects Donald and the other new pieces on defense, like Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Jaylen Watson, to travel to Australia for their Week 1 game against the 49ers.

Similar to how George Kittle and Nick Bosa traveled with the 49ers to Australia already, the signs are pointing towards Donald suiting up for Los Angeles based on this travel plan.

The final decision has yet to be made, but so far, this is a good sign that Rams fans will be able to see Donald suit up in Week 1 for a huge matchup to begin the 2026 season.

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